Tooth guard and jaw protector



March 5, 1940. J. B. POINDEXTER I 2,192,558

TOOTH GUARD AND JAW PROTECTOR Filed June 29, 1937 Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

room GUARD AND JAW rnorsc'roa James a. Poindexter, nuntinrton. w. Va.

Application June :9, 1931, Serial No. 151,011

4 Claims. (01. 128-136) My invention relates to a tooth guard and jaw protector, and particularly to a device of this character intended and adapted to be used by boxers, football players, and others engaging in 5 sports and other pursuits, to prevent injury to the lips or teeth, and to prevent the user from becoming unconscious or damaged as a result of a blow on the lower jaw.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which can be worn in the mouth to minimize damage to the teeth and lips from a blow in the mouth, to lessen the possibility of the wearer being rendered unconscious or being damaged by a blow on the lower jaw, and to reduce the chance of a fracture of the lower jaw or mandible by a blow or other force received or exerted upon any part. or portion of the lower jaw.

Another object is to so construct this guard and protector that when the device is in use the main force of blows or other shocks will be distributed over or upon the heavier and stronger teeth, namely the molars and bicuspids, while the force of blows or other impacts or shocks or force upon the upper and lower anterior teeth and upon the lips will be cushioned and absorbed in a manner to prevent breaking or chipping of the teeth due to contact of the upper teeth with the lower teeth and cutting of the lips through contact with the teeth, and in fact to minimize the possibility of damage to all of the teeth and the lips.

Still another object is to so construct the parts that when the device is in use the bicuspids and molars of the upper and lower jaws are substan-' tially positively locked and retained and braced in a natural and normal articulation, and the lower jawis thus retained against moving back or distally, in a manner to .cause pressure upon 40 tissues and nerves in and surrounding the condyle head, which pressure will ordinarily cause dizziness or unconsciousness in a person receivinga blow of suflicient force upon the jaw.

A further object is to provide a device with which the lower teeth are interlocked and are positively and securely held in association with the upper teeth to prevent movement of the lower jaw rearwardly or laterally, or undue strain upon any part of the lower jaw, and which thus mini-' a device of this character which has the interlocking and retaining portions made of hard vulcanized rubber, or vulcanite, which while sui'fi- 10 cient yielding to prevent damage to the cusp and crown portions of the teeth will positively hold and retain the teeth in interlocking relation, and which has forward portions of soft cushion or vellum rubber around the anterior teeth and be- 15 tween said teeth and the lips, to thus cushion against shocks or blows and minimize the danger of damage to the teeth and lips.

With the above and other objects in view. some of which will be apparent to those skilled in the 90 art, and others of which are inherent in the construction and association of the parts, my invention. includes certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter set forth in connection 5 with the drawing and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view looking angularly down and from the rear of the upper side 30 of a device embodying my invention.

2 is a similar view looking upwardly at the inner side.

Fig. 3'is a side elevational view of the device as fitted in place for use, with portions of the head and tooth structure of the wearer indicated substantially in shadowgraph.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken vertically from front to back substantially centrally through the device.

Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation.

Heretofore, -devices of this general character have been made and used which are constructed entirely of soft rubber interposed upon or around the teeth of either the upper or lower jaw, to thus 45 protect and guard against cutting or other damaging contact between the lips and teeth when the user of the device receives a blow in the mouth; however, with devices heretofore kn 'n and used nothing has been accomplished to prevent the lower jaw or mandible from moving back or distally, or laterally, and no structure has been developed or used which will interlock the teeth of the two jaws to be rigidly held in substantially normal articulation. My invention a contemplates provision of a device composed entirely of vulcanized rubber, the front part or portions being of soft cushion or vellum rubber and the rear and back parts being of hard vulcanized rubber or vulcanite, which device fits over and upon the upper and lower teeth and between the anterior teeth and the lips in such a manner that when the teeth are closed in natural articulation the rigid parts will prevent the lower jaw or mandible from moving back or distally, or laterally, and the soft cushion parts will protect the anterior teeth and the lips from damage.

As'viewed in plan, the device is'substantially U-shaped, with the rear portions I and 3 formed of hard rubber or vulcanite, or other suitable material, having inner and outerflanges 3 and 4 on their upper side and inner and outer flanges I and 6 on their lower side. These flanges extend around the loop or forward partof the U-shaped form; and in effect, the device is molded or otherwise formed so that it is a substantially continuous unitary structure.

In practice, the protectors maybe formed in several sizes and shapes to fit average mouths;

but, for a proper fit and more perfect results, it

is preferable to take a cast of the user's teeth and from this cast produce a protector that substantially conforms to the shape of the individual mouth and teeth, and to the natural or normal articulation of the jaws.

The flanges 3 and 4 on the upper side and flanges 5 and 6 on the lower side of the device rise on opposite sides of a bite portion I which is adapted to be interposed between the grinder faces of the upper and lower teeth. As stated, it is preferable that the device be made and constructed especially for each individual user, and the upper and lower sides of the bite portion 1 will be molded or shaped to substantially conform to and fit the cusps and faces of the teeth, while the flanges 3 and 4 will be molded and shaped to fit the inner and outer sides of the crown portions of the upper teeth and the flanges 5 and 6 will be molded and shaped to flt the inner and outer crown surfaces of the lower teeth.

The forward portion of the body of the device is enlarged or thickened out, substantially as at 8, to provide a mass of material received between the outer surfaces of the upper and lower anterior teeth and the inner surfaces of the lips, substantially as indicated in Fig. 3, and the device has this forward portion, and those portions thereof substantially around and adjacent to the upper and lower six anterior and the upper and lower first bicuspids made or constructed of soft cushion, or vellum rubber, or of other suitable material that will cushion between the lips and teeth and will absorb or reduce shocks to thus minimize the possibility and danger of damage to the anterior teeth and to the lips.

The inner upper flange portion 3 can be widened out or extended, substantially as at 9, and this extended portion, cooperating with the remaining portions of the upper contour and shape and surface, will hold by suction to retain. the device in place upon the upper teeth of the user. While the main utility and functioning of the device is resultant from the interposition of the parts when the mouth is closed, occasions arise when the wearer may desire to open the mouth, as for mouth breathing and the like, and I therefore find it advantageous: to break or prevent suctional fitting of the lower side of the device with and upon the lower teeth. Such breaking of the suctional fitting and retention is accomplished by providing openings l3 through the lower inner flange S from the tongue surface to the surface of the lower teeth through which air and saliva may pass, and if desired, openings l I can be provided in similar manner through the outer lower flange 3.

As stated, the rear portion is preferably made of hard vulcanized rubber or vulcanite, or of some other suitable material sufficiently rigid to hold upon the upper and lower bicuspids and molars and thus retain the lower law against movement, while bracing and counterbracing to and from all parts of the upper jaw and lower jaw structures in which the teeth are rooted. As shown in Fig. 4, and indicatedin Fig. 5, substantially the entire forward portion, beyond the line generally indicated at I2, is of soft cushion or vellum rubber, or of other suitable cushion material which will absorb or reduce or cushion shocks. As the main portion of the inner flange parts 3 and 5 is extended as hard rubber or other rigid material around the forward side or arch of the substantially U-shaped'form, the side arm portions are held in rigid spacing and placement and disposition, and yet at the same time the forward portions fitting over and around the upper and lower anterior teeth and theupper and lower first bicuspids, and between the teeth and the lips, are of cushion material to prevent damage to the teeth and to minimize the possibility of bruising and cutting or otherwise injuring the lips, due

v to a blow or other shock or force encountered upon or over the area of the lips.

Where the device is made of vulcanized rubber, the rear and forward portions can be made up and associated as a unitary structure of the hard rubber or vulcanite and the cushion or vellum rubber compositions, and when the structure is properly molded and formed and is then treated or vulcanized, a unitary structure is provided which has the cushion and the vulcanite, or more or less rigid portions, inseparably associated and assembled to fit the mouth of the wearer and to accomplish purposes and functions as desired.

The distance to which the soft cushion or vellum rubber, at 8, is extended around and back on each side can be varied from the line indicated at l2, to accommodate various types and shapes of mouth, and to suit different conditions of use, so that at all times the soft or vellum rubber will be interposed as desired to serve as a cushion between the lips and teeth, and at the same time the hard rubber or vulcanite portions will be interposed and interfitted to guard the teeth and protect the jaw. Should it be found necessary and desirable, the soft or vellum rubber can be extended around the flanges 3 and 4, and perhaps particularly around the inner and upper borders thereof, to add. to the suction of the device and aid in holding the same upon the upper teeth, in cases that do not have sufficient suction, if such be found. In any event and in any construction, it is of course essential that the rigid portions be provided to interlock the teeth of the wearer, and that cushion portions be provided between the forward teeth and the lips and at such locations as may be necessary or dethe lips to minimize the damage to the teeth and lips by a blow in the mouth, while at the same time positively locking, and retaining the lower jaw in proper and normal articulation and 5 against movement laterally or distally, thus minimizing the possibility of the wearer being rendered unconscious by a blow on the lower jaw, and also minimizing the chance of fracture or dislocation of the lower jaw or mandible through the force exerted by a blow received on said lower jaw or mandible.

While I have herein shown and described only certain specific embodiments of my invention, have set forth only certain possible manners of construction, and have enumerated only certain materials employed in the construction, it will be appreciated that many changes and variations can be made in the form and construction of the parts, and in the materials and the manner of D associating and employing the same, to suit individual or different requirements of use, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

1 claim:

8 1. A tooth guard and jaw protector comprising, a substantially U-shaped body member adapted to fit in the mouth between the teeth of the upper and the lower jaws and provided with substantially rigid extending end portions 80 adapted to engage inner and outer faces of the upper rear and lower rear teeth thereby interlocking the teeth and restraining relative lateral movement of the jaws.

2. A tooth guard and jaw protector comprising,

86 a substantially U-shaped body member adapted to fit in the mouth between the teeth of the upper and the lower jaws and provided with substantially rigid extending end portions adapted to engage inner and outer faces of the upper rear and lower rear teeth thereby interlocking the teeth and restraining relative lateral movement of the jaws, said substantially U-shaped body member being provided on the looped forward portion thereof with flanges of cushion ma- 6 terial interposed between the front teeth and the l p 3. A tooth guard and jaw protector comprising, a substantially U-shaped body member adapted to fit in the mouth between the teeth of the upper 10 and the lower jaws and having the end portions thereof of substantially rigid material and of substantially H-shaped form in cross section and thus presenting spaced flanges on the upper and the lower sides adapted to engage against the 15 inner and the outer faces of the upper rear and lower rear teeth thereby interlocking the teeth and restraining relative lateral movement of the jaws.

4. A tooth guard and jaw protector comprising, a substantially U-shaped body member adapted to fit in the mouth between the teeth of the upper and the lower jaws and having the end portions thereof of substantially rigid material and of substantially H-shaped form in cross section and thus presenting spaced flanges on the upper and the lower sides adapted to engage against the inner and the outer faces of the upper rear and lower rear teeth thereby interlocking the teeth and restraining relative lateral movement of the jaws, said substantially U-shaped body member being adapted to fit and be held within the mouth with the looped portion presented forwardly and being provided on the outer side of the looped portion with flanges of cushion material adapted to cushion between the lips and the front teeth of the wearer.

JAMES B. POINDEXTER. 

